Саrре diem

Passport & Plate - The Emerald Tortoise

Russian Federation | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 5 photos

Ingredients
Cream:
500ml milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp flour
200g sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g butter

Cake layers:
1 tin condensed milk
1 egg
½ tsp baking soda and 1 tsp vinegar (or ½ tsp baking powder instead)
450-500g flour

Decoration:
Kiwi or any fruit you prefer

 

How to prepare this recipe
Cream:

Pour the milk in the saucepan; add eggs, flour, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a whisk until lump-free. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer until creamy. When it’s ready add the butter and set the pan aside covered with a lid (it's better if the cream is warm when poured over the base).

Layers:

Beat the condensed milk and eggs in a large bowl. Add baking soda with vinegar. Stir and add flour consistently. Stir the mixture until well combined, and then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Put onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Divide into 8 equal pieces and roll each of them into 25cm circles. Poke them in few places with a fork. Heat a pan (without oil!) and fry every layer for a minute on each side. Cut off the edges to make circle-shaped layers that will form you future “tortoise”.

For the final stage, do not forget to prepare some kiwi (peel and cut them) and get your cream.

Put the biggest layer on a large plate and cover it smoothly with the cream. Add kiwi to the top. Do the same with all layers. In the end, cover all the sides and the top of the cake. Now you may let your imagination run wild! In my view, it looks best if decorated with kiwi slices.

Enjoy!

 

The story behind this recipe
By a curious twist of fate, the most prominent story behind this recipe happened to me recently. To be perfectly honest, it was precisely when I was cooking the cake to apply for your travel scholarship. Somehow it overshadowed all the others.

I discovered “Passport & Plate” as the deadline was fast approaching, so I immediately started searching. I called three friends to aid me with the challenge. Two hands are just not enough to cook and take pictures at the same time effectively.

However, eight hands did not turn out to be of much help either when it came to the high art of photographing such a delicate model as food... While Kate was balancing on a pile of books holding on to Ann’s head with one hand and carrying the camera with the other one (to take a picture “from above”), Ann herself was pointing the lamp at the products to make the lighting better. Meanwhile I was trying to make a good composition of the ingredients on the table, I found myself being at odds with the eggs. They kept trying to roll off the table! Finally, my last assistant Daria was pacing around and burst into laughter every minute. We were finally able to get it… the first picture. So you can imagine how long the whole process took. It was long, but not tedious. We will always remember that day with laughter and joy.

The most amazing fact about this situation was the selflessness of my friends helping and supporting me as much as they could. They sacrificed their time and energy without a single word of complaint.

The cake was ready and the first half of it was eaten within the first five minutes (the other half was successfully finished the next morning) and everyone was pleased with the outcome.

That is how “The Emerald Tortoise” became an icon of intimate friendship for me. I look at the photos, and always smile recalling that evening and think, “I am not alone, I always have amazing and loyal friends standing by me in any situation.”